Spark Plugs

[Donald Ross]

Hello

I am not sure if i am using the correct/best spark plugs in my Morris Minor 1098cc engine.

I am currently using the Champion N9YC.

I have discovered that the NGK BP6ES is also suitable for my car but not sure which is better.

Which spark plug do you think would be best?

Also is there any other brands which may be better e.g. Denso, Bosch ...........

Thanks
Donald

[philthehill]

Champion N9YC is perfectly suitable for the Minor.

[Sleeper]

NGK over Champion anytime...

John ;-)

[Steve Phillips]

I gave up using champion plugs many years ago as I kept getting poor results from them,
I found they suffered from premature failure and often poor performance generally,

where as NGK are generally fit and forget, I don't often use bosch plugs but have nothing against them,

however Denso have given excellent results over the years, not just in std A series engines but in everything from tuned Minors to turbo charged modern performance engines, their platinum plugs are superb, yes they are expensive but will last around 60,000 miles with no noticeable loss of performance. Their iridium plugs are great for turbo cars where there will be very high compression under boost as they generally give a very strong spark.

Having said all that denso std range plugs are no dearer than NGK or Bosch,

Just my opinion.

Steve

[myoldjalopy]

A perennial topic of debate and differing opinions. Fervent loyalties are often evoked. For myself, I have never had a problem with Champion N9YC in standard Minor engines, so never tried other brands....

[pgp001]

I once fitted a set of Champion plugs to a Honda 400/4 motorbike I had bought in the early 1980's, I kept the old NGK ones under the seat in the tool tray.
One new Champion failed after about five miles so I swapped it for one of the old ones. The following week another one failed so I threw them in the bin and put four new NGK ones in and never had any more trouble.

In my day job I design special purpose blast machines, one of our customers in the 90's was Champion.
The guy I was dealing with from Champion told me that they had a 10% failure rate straight from production

I have never used anything but NGK in everything I have owned ever since.

Phil P

[philthehill]

I have used Champion RN9YCC plugs in my Minor for some time without problems. Currently NGK BP8ES plugs are fitted.
I have never had problems with Champion plugs but have had problems with NGK plugs. So I suppose it is down to the luck of the draw.
Champion N9Y plugs were a regular replacement item for the Champion N5 plugs fitted ex factory.

[ManyMinors]

I think you are right Phil, it is a question of luck and personal experience and there is no right or wrong.
My own experience is of using Champion plugs for many years without a problem and then of having a couple of failures. I then changed to NGK plugs about 30 years ago and - touch wood - have never had a single failure, so will carry on with them. 30 years of pretty much every day use is a lot of miles

[philthehill]

My biggest failure with a NGK plug was when the earth terminal fell off and was jammed into the top of the piston on my previous modern. That meant me taking the head off which had to have a light skim. Not a job I want to do again as half the car and half the engine had to be stripped to gain access.
A very small piece of metal caused a very large job to be undertaken
The NGK plugs were replaced by Bosch plugs.

[myoldjalopy]

I recall that one-time prolific poster on this forum, 'bmcecosse', told a tale of a mate's car that wouldn't go.........they tried a few things and in the end Roy substituted the NKG plugs for Champion and the car fired up first time. He then threw the NKG plugs into a neighbouring field!
I suppose all it takes is one bad experience with a certain brand to take against it......

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

If you lay an N9Y and an N5 side by side you will see the N9Y is a longer plug, which means it protrudes more into the combustion chamber.

[philthehill]

As the nose of the N9Y is more exposed than the N5 it runs slightly hotter so is less prone to oiling up.

[Donald Ross]

Hello

I decided to buy the NGK BP6ES spark plugs to give them a try.

Currently i have been using the Champion N9YC with no major problems except the car always seemed to take 2 or 3 attempts to start.

After replacing them today i started the car and it started first time no problem at all.

I must admit i am very surprised at how big a difference this has made to the engine.

Thanks again
Donald

[geoberni]

There was an encyclopedic topic about Spark Plugs back in 2009:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=28949

[King Kenny]

I have always used NGK BP6ES spark plugs in my minor. Also used them in my Honda CB400T without a problem. I would not mess with any other.

[Mark Wilson]

I've no real experience or opinion of the difference between the brands, but I did like the humour of an American expert who explained that the way to tell good Champions from bad ones was to put them in a bucket of water. The good ones would float...

[Edward1949]

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"Spark" plugs is an Americanism. They were "Sparking" plugs when I was a lad